Grace, Glory and the “In Between”

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1        How lovely is your dwelling place,

    LORD Almighty!

2        My soul yearns, even faints,

    for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

    for the living God.

3        Even the sparrow has found a home,

    and the swallow a nest for herself,

    where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

    LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

4        Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

    they are ever praising you. 

5        Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.

6        As they pass through the Valley of Baka,

    they make it a place of springs;

    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

7        They go from strength to strength,

    till each appears before God in Zion. 

8        Hear my prayer, LORD God Almighty;

    listen to me, God of Jacob.

9        Look on our shield, O God;

    look with favor on your anointed one. 

10      Better is one day in your courts

    than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

11      For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

              the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

    from those whose walk is blameless. 

12      LORD Almighty,

    blessed is the one who trusts in you. (Psalm 84, NIV) 

REFLECTIONS:

Psalm 84 expresses the thoughts of a man who wants to go to Jerusalem for a feast but cannot. We don't exactly know why he can't go to Jerusalem. Maybe he was in captivity. Perhaps he was ill. There may have been some sort of trouble at home. Despite his inability to go up to the temple, he yearned for a “temple experience”—he desperately wanted to experience intimacy and communion with the living God. He prays:

“How lovely is your dwelling place,
    LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living God.” (verses 1-2).

He didn't simply want to go to Jerusalem to observe a holy day. No, his great desire was to go to the temple to meet with God. “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young” (verse 3). In other words, God's house is to his soul what a nest is to a swallow—a place of rest and security and satisfaction. The psalmist even envies the priests. “Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you” (verse 4). The psalmist is jealous of the priests, because they are allowed to live and dwell in the house of God. They experience intimacy with the living God, 24-7. They smelled the scent of the perpetually burning incense. They saw the light of continuously burning on the lampstand. They were intimately familiar with the daily sacrifices. They were allowed to enter the Holy Place and maybe, just maybe, if their number was called, they were allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. The priests' exclusive calling allowed them the honor of dwelling near the living God. This same priest-like intimacy with God was something for which the psalmist longed.

As those who have been saved by God's grace, you and I ought to have a strong desire to worship the Lord and fellowship with him. We have the privilege of gathering together with God's people and worshiping him together. Do you desire to be with God's people? Is your heart overflowing with a longing to declare God's praise? Do you hunger and thirst for more of God? Does your heart cry out with a longing to experience the living God? 

………… 

At the time this psalm was written, every Jewish man was required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast three times a year. Whole villages would make their pilgrimage together, singing along the way. 

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.” (verses 5-7) 

As they traveled down the road, the men looked in three directions. First, they looked within (verse 5). “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Or, as another translation puts it, “in whose hearts are the highways to Zion.” Everyone has a roadmap in his heart that takes him where he really wants to go. Look within yourself today. What kind of roadmap do you have? Where does it lead? Have you limited yourself, or are you entering into all the fullness of walking with the Lord? 

They looked back (verse 6). They passed through the Valley of Baka—the place of “weeping.” As they passed through this valley of sorrow, they left behind a blessing for someone else. Sometimes on our pilgrimage we go through the valley of weeping. But when we go through this valley, we can be assured that we are not alone. Our God is with us (Psalm 23:4). And when our God is with us, he provides not only comfort and strength, but life and abundance and peace and contentment. God blesses us in our time of sorrow so that we might be strengthened to leave behind a blessing for someone else. 

Then they looked ahead. “They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion” (verse 7). They were looking forward to meeting with the living God as they went to celebrate the feast. We, too, go from strength to strength. We may look ahead and say “I'll never make it.” But we will. Our God is faithful (Philippians 1:6). When you look to him, he gives you the strength and insight to keep going as you make your pilgrimage. 

We, too, look in three directions. Our journey is often arduous, painful, dangerous, and difficult. But God will give us the strength to continue and to make it to the very end. In our heart, we have a roadmap to Zion. Today, let us follow it. And let us be assured that one day we will stand face-to-face with the living God. 

………… 

As I mentioned earlier, it seems that the psalmist is yearning to go up to the temple to fellowship with God. But as he meditates on God, he has an epiphany. He realizes he can experience the blessing of God's presence right where he is. He does not have to go to the temple. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (verse 11). 

“Favor and honor.” Favor—or grace—that's how our spiritual journey begins. God bestows his favor upon us. We are saved by his grace. We trust in Jesus, and in grace, God rescues us and redeems us to himself. Honor—or glory—that's how our spiritual journey ends. One day we will look upon the Lord, we will see him as he is in all his glory, and we will somehow share the glory of the Lord forever (1 John 3:1-3). 

But between favor and honor, grace and glory, life can be rather difficult. We read in 1 Peter 5:10—“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Whatever begins with grace leads to glory, but how do we make the journey between grace and glory? This in between time is so painful, so full of heartache and tragedy and temptation and trial. How will he make it to the end? How will we stand strong on this journey? By holding fast to the psalmist's pronouncement: “The LORD God is a sun and shield” (verse 11). He is a “sun.” That's provision and sufficiency. He is a “shield.” That's protection and security. We start the journey with grace; we continue the journey trusting God's provision and protection; we end the journey by entering into the glory of the Lord. 

What does it mean to walk “blamelessly”? It means walking in the light, holding fast to his word of promise, loving and trusting the One who is our all-sufficient source of grace, strength, and protection. When we experience the living God, we come to love the living God. And when we love the living God, we rejoice to lay our lives before him as an offering of praise. 

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:1-2, The Message)

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I pray God's blessings upon you, and hope you experience a genuinely delightful time gathering with family and friends. We have so much for which we can give thanks. May God open our eyes and cause our hearts to overflow with thanks and praise. And may we testify to his goodness throughout this upcoming weekend. 

Please note that today's devotional will be the last devotional published this week. We will resume our daily devotionals on Sunday, December 1—the first day of Advent.

Blessed to Be a Blessing

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        May God be gracious to us and bless us

    and make his face shine on us—

2        so that your ways may be known on earth,

    your salvation among all nations.

3        May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

4        May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

    for you rule the peoples with equity

    and guide the nations of the earth.

5        May the peoples praise you, God;

    may all the peoples praise you.

6        The land yields its harvest;

    God, our God, blesses us.

7        May God bless us still,

    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

The author of this psalm is unknown. While we may not know his name, we do know something unique and peculiar about him. This psalm lets us see his heart. It tells us that he was a man who had a vision of the whole world. God had blessed him, and he wanted to share that blessing with everyone.

He writes: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us…” The psalmist uses the word “us” three times in verse 1. In using this word he's referring to the Jewish people, but it doesn't stop there. He continues: “…so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (verse 2).

So many Old Testament Jews missed the point of their calling. They had an “us versus them” mentality. They took pride in being called God's “chosen people.” They forgot Moses's warning (Deuteronomy 7:7-11), and began to think they were special and set apart because of their own inherent uniqueness. They lost sight of all that God had said to their forefathers, and wanted to keep what they had for themselves. They did not want to share their special blessing with others. Instead, they wanted to judge and condemn others.

How unlike God's plan! After all, why did he call Abraham? So that he might be a blessing to the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). To carry that question forward to our day, why did God send his Son to dwell among us (John 1:1-18)? Why did Jesus leave his place and glory and become “fully human in every way” (Hebrews 2:17)? Why did he humble himself and choose to live as a servant (Philippians 2:7)? Why did he submit himself to unjust human authorities and allow himself to be crucified on the cross? So that the gospel message might go out to the whole world. So that all people might be reconciled to God. So that all the peoples of the world might be blessed. And now we are recipients of God's blessings.

Why has the Lord blessed us? So that we might share the Gospel with others. We generally have no problem praying verse 1: “Oh, God, be merciful to us and bless us and make your face to shine upon us.” But what about verse 2? Do we want to be blessed so that we might be a blessing? That's the reason God blesses us in the first place (2 Corinthians 9:6-15). Likewise, he answers our prayers so that we might become an answer to someone else's prayers (2 Corinthians 1:3-11).

The result of making God's salvation known among all the nations is praise. “May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you” (verse 3). This doesn't mean just the Israelites. The Gentiles are included, too. “May the nations be glad and sing for joy” (verse 4). “May the peoples praise you, God” (verse 5).

Notice how the psalm ends: “The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him” (verses 6-7). The sequence in this psalm is significant. The psalmist begins by saying: “Lord, bless me so that I might bless others.” And then he indeed becomes a blessing to others, so God blesses him again. And, again, he expresses his desire to share God's double-blessing with the whole world. What a marvelous testimony of God's grace!

POINT TO PONDER:

Are you part of God's sequence of blessing? If you will share, he will bless you so that you may be a blessing to others. Experience the fullness of his grace by telling others about him, and by sharing his blessings with those whom you come in contact.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I am deeply convicted by this psalm. So often my prayers sound like verse 1: “Bless me, God.” “Bless our family, God.” “Show us your favor.” “Bless us financially.” “Give me success.” “Give me comfort, health, and ease.” Without even trying, my prayers can become all about me and my family. Me, myself, and mine. Gimme, gimme, gimme. I can so easily lose sight of all the blessings God has already lavished upon my life. I can take his favor for granted and desire more, more, more. This psalm was a divine wake-up call. The Holy Spirit smacked me upside the head and reminded me of my calling to join God in blessing the world. Through his empowerment, today I yearn to share God's goodness with “the peoples” surrounding my life.

An Invitation and a Test

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

2            Sing the glory of his name;

    make his praise glorious.

3        Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

    So great is your power

    that your enemies cringe before you.

4        All the earth bows down to you;

    they sing praise to you,

    they sing the praises of your name.”

5        Come and see what God has done,

    his awesome deeds for mankind!

6        He turned the sea into dry land,

    they passed through the waters on foot—

    come, let us rejoice in him.

7        He rules forever by his power,

    his eyes watch the nations—

    let not the rebellious rise up against him.

8        Praise our God, all peoples,

    let the sound of his praise be heard;

9        he has preserved our lives

    and kept our feet from slipping.

10      For you, God, tested us;

    you refined us like silver.

11      You brought us into prison

    and laid burdens on our backs.

12      You let people ride over our heads;

    we went through fire and water,

    but you brought us to a place of abundance.

13      I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

    and fulfill my vows to you—

14      vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

    when I was in trouble.

15      I will sacrifice fat animals to you

    and an offering of rams;

    I will offer bulls and goats.

16      Come and hear, all you who fear God;

    let me tell you what he has done for me.

17      I cried out to him with my mouth;

    his praise was on my tongue.

18      If I had cherished sin in my heart,

    the Lord would not have listened;

19      but God has surely listened

    and has heard my prayer.

20      Praise be to God,

    who has not rejected my prayer

    or withheld his love from me. (Psalm 66, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Psalm 66 contains several invitations that are tied to the word “come”—“come and sing”; “come and see”; “come and sacrifice”; and “come and hear.” Today, let's look at the first two of these invitations…

The first invitation is come and sing. Or, to put it in our common lingo, praise the Lord. “Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious” (verse 2). For whatever reason, sometimes we act as if praising God is tedious. It becomes a burden to wake up early to gather for worship. Sometimes we praise him in a tired fashion—we simply go through the motions. But the psalmist asks for glorious praise. Why? “So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you” (verses 3-4). This is missionary zeal! We aren't to praise the Lord by ourselves. We come and sing, and we invite the whole world to join us. For our God is the living God, and he is worthy to be praised!

The second invitation is come and see the works of God. Today people call the works of God, natural law or scientific law. We try to explain everything, but we can't. Come and see the works of God—what happens in the heavens, what happens in your body, and what's happened throughout history. This is the work of God. Today, I'm loving the message of verse 7: “He rules forever by his power.” Satan is not ruling this world system—God is. He is allowing Satan some measure of freedom, but he's going to use even that to glorify himself. God is ruling by his power, and his rule will last forever!

If you want to enjoy today, come and sing. If you've lost your song, come and see the works of the Lord. You'll be singing before long. When we're singing, we find it much easier to offer sacrifices to God (verses 13-15) and to declare his praise among the people surrounding our lives (verse 16).

…………

Another thing strikes me about this psalm. As with many of the songs and prayers in the Psalter, this psalm is meant to bring hope and strength to the discouraged. “Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard” (verse 8). Why? “He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping” (verse 9). God holds our life in his hand. As we read elsewhere: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). So, let's praise him.

The psalmist continues: “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver” (verse 10). The reason God tests us and tries us is to prove us. He's proving nothing to himself. He knows us from top to bottom, inside and out. No, God is proving something to us. God considers us to be more valuable than silver (or gold, for that matter). And, because he values us so much, he puts us into situations that test and strengthen us (Romans 5:1-5; 1 Peter 4:12-19).

Notice the images in the following verses: “You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance” (verses 11-12). This indicates total defeat. We go through fire and water, but we are brought out to a place of abundance. The word

“abundance” stands out to me—a land of milk and honey, of running water and fruitfulness, of security and peace, of satisfaction and delight. The wilderness of Judea, where so often David found himself, was dry and barren. But he knew that because of God's presence and character, he would be brought to a “place of abundance” where he would “dwell” with contentment, joy and hope.

The psalmist does not say: “Well, here I am again.” No, he says: “God brought me into this place, and God's going to be with me through it. And when he brings me out, I'm going to be in a place of abundance and delight.” God always enriches us when we go through difficulty. He tests us and tries us and refines us and molds us in order to make us more like Jesus.

PRAYER:

We praise you, Father, for who you are and what you've done in our lives. Forgive us, Lord, for the ways we worship you halfheartedly. You are worthy of so much more! You are the great Creator who, out of the goodness of your heart, made all things. You have loved us with an everlasting love and you've lavished our lives with blessings upon blessing. So, Father, we declare your praise. We say you are great and awesome, powerful and good. We love you and rejoice to declare your praise. Renew our minds. Enliven our hearts. May your Spirit, enlighten us to see your glory afresh and new today, so that we might joyfully lay down our lives in sacrifice and service to your kingdom. For you are worthy!

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I've been loving the cold weather. We've spent the last few days huddled together in our living room, enjoying our fireplace and watching movies together. Good times!

Praise Awaits You

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;

    to you our vows will be fulfilled.

2        You who answer prayer,

    to you all people will come.

3        When we were overwhelmed by sins,

    you forgave our transgressions.

4        Blessed are those you choose

    and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,

    of your holy temple.

5        You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,

    God our Savior,

the hope of all the ends of the earth

    and of the farthest seas,

6        who formed the mountains by your power,

    having armed yourself with strength,

7        who stilled the roaring of the seas,

    the roaring of their waves,

    and the turmoil of the nations.

8        The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

    where morning dawns, where evening fades,

    you call forth songs of joy.

9        You care for the land and water it;

    you enrich it abundantly.

The streams of God are filled with water

    to provide the people with grain,

    for so you have ordained it.

10      You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.

11      You crown the year with your bounty,

    and your carts overflow with abundance.

12      The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;

    the hills are clothed with gladness.

13      The meadows are covered with flocks

    and the valleys are mantled with grain;

    they shout for joy and sing. (Psalm 65, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

In this time of year when we intentionally pause to give thanks, let us take a few moments to praise God for the many ways he has lavishly blessed our lives. He is worthy of our praise! This psalm lists a number of reasons God is worthy of praise—he answers our prayer, he forgives our sins, he invites us into fellowship with himself. Not only does he bless his people, he blesses the entire world. All of creation is in his care. Our God delights to graciously and generously pour out blessing upon blessing. He fills our lives and our world with abundance, and causes all creation to "shout for joy and sing." He is worthy of our praise. Today, let us pause to give thanks and to celebrate his goodness.

POINT TO PONDER:

Take a few moments to consider the manifold blessings God has poured out upon your life. Consider making a list throughout the day, noting the blessings surrounding your life. Regardless of what our circumstances may look like, our God is good and he delights to bring good things into our life. May God give us eyes to see his many blessings. 

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I thought it might be good to keep things short and simple today.

Rest in God

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Truly my soul finds rest in God;

    my salvation comes from him.

2        Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3        How long will you assault me?

    Would all of you throw me down—

    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

4        Surely they intend to topple me

    from my lofty place;

    they take delight in lies.

With their mouths they bless,

    but in their hearts they curse.

5        Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

    my hope comes from him.

6        Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

7        My salvation and my honor depend on God;

    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

8        Trust in him at all times, you people;

    pour out your hearts to him,

    for God is our refuge.

9        Surely the lowborn are but a breath,

    the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;

    together they are only a breath.

10      Do not trust in extortion

    or put vain hope in stolen goods;

though your riches increase,

    do not set your heart on them.

11      One thing God has spoken,

    two things I have heard:

“Power belongs to you, God,

12          and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;

and, “You reward everyone

    according to what they have done.” (Psalm 62, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

“Truly my soul finds rest in God” (verse 1). This experience of the psalmist is something we all long for. I'm convinced that every single one of us yearns to be “at rest”—peaceful, content, settled, centered. But, from the looks of things, most of us have no idea how to consistently experience this “restful” state of mind and heart. Thankfully, this psalm contains three assurances that will help us find and experience “rest in God.” 

God is our Salvation (verse 2). David refers to salvation not from sin but from danger. “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” (verse 2). David’s enemies were pursuing him as usual. Saul was trying to kill him as usual. And yet David says, “I’m going to wait on the Lord. I’m not going to run around and lose control of myself. I’m going to wait on the Lord because my salvation comes from him.” David didn't operate according to the world's way of thinking. He didn't make alliances with foreign kings or seek help from mercenaries, as was the common practice in those days. David didn't try to take things into his own hands. On two separate occasions, David could have taken Saul's life (1 Samuel 24 and 26). But, he refused to manipulate the situation or take matters into his own hands. David trusted in God to not only protect his life, but to direct his steps throughout the daily adventure of life. Even though Saul was trying to kill him, David continued to honor Saul precisely because he was the Lord's anointed. He trusted God enough to honor God's purpose and plan for Saul's life. He knew that somehow, someway, God would remove Saul from the throne just as he had promised. David knew that his salvation came from God, so he rested in God to fulfill his plan—in his own time and his own way.

The same is true for us today. We live in a dangerous world. We never know what may be just around the corner, but we have the assurance that God is our Rock and our Defense.

God is our Expectation (verse 5). Where do you look for your expectation? To yourself, your wallet, your checkbook, your friends? Where do you look when the future seems bleak and dark? David looked to God. “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him” (verse 5). And, why does David state that his hope comes from God? Because God has proven himself faithful. “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken” (verse 6). David looked to his past. He remembered all the ways that God had previously protected and rescued him. Because God had always been faithful in the past, David was able to move forward in life with a confident assurance that God would continue faithfully protecting his life (1 Samuel 17:32-37). Because we had already experienced God's deliverance, David expected God to continue establishing his ways. His heart was at peace because he knew his life was in God's hands.

It's the same for us today. When we are assailed by fear and doubt, we would be wise to look to the past and reflect on God's faithful salvation. It would do us a world of good to reflect on the many ways, God has previously proven himself faithful to protect and provide. Reflecting on God's faithfulness in the past breeds peace, hope, and encouragement for today and beyond.

God is our Vindication (verse 12). It relieves us of a great deal of pressure and burden to know that we are not judges but witnesses. We are not here to vindicate ourselves. Our vindication comes from God, “who ‘will repay each person according to what they have done’” (Romans 2:6). God sees and knows our thoughts. He understands the secret intentions of our heart. He perceives all the hidden details surrounding our actions and decisions. Other people tend to judge us based on what they see with their eyes or hear with their ears. Because their judgments are based on externals, they often judge unjustly. Heck, sometimes we even judge ourselves unjustly. We listen to the lies of the enemy and condemn ourselves. But, thankfully, our God “judges” in a totally different way. “We know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20). The Lord “looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7) and judges with righteousness and equity (Psalm 98:9). Because of this, our hearts can be at peace because we know that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Despite the condemnation of those around us, despite the accusations of our enemy, despite the guilt of our own heart, we can be at peace because we know that the Spirit that we received by faith in Jesus has “brought about our adoption to sonship.” And the Spirit empowers us to cry out: “Abba, Father.” No matter what the other voices surrounding us may say, we have received the Spirit who testifies with our spirit that we are God's beloved children (Romans 8:14-17). As sons and daughters of the living God, we can be at peace. We can rest in our new identity and know that any act performed from a place of authentic faith will be rewarded.

Today, as you face difficulties with people or things or circumstances, wait on the Lord. Encourage your soul to find rest in God. From him come your salvation, your expectation, and your vindication.

POINT TO PONDER:

In troubled times, how often do you first look to yourself or others for answers before looking to God? If you look to God and wait for him, he will see you through. Put God first and wait for him to act on your behalf.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I apologize to our e-mail subscribers. Apparently, there's some sort of a problem with the blogspot's e-mail distributor, so the devotionals haven't been viewable by e-mail. I've been working to get this issue resolved, so hopefully we'll get things straightened out in short order.

We’re Marching to Zion

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise,

    in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

2        Beautiful in its loftiness,

    the joy of the whole earth,

like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,

    the city of the Great King.

3        God is in her citadels;

    he has shown himself to be her fortress.

4        When the kings joined forces,

    when they advanced together,

5        they saw her and were astounded;

    they fled in terror.

6        Trembling seized them there,

    pain like that of a woman in labor.

7        You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish

              shattered by an east wind.

8        As we have heard,

    so we have seen

in the city of the LORD Almighty,

    in the city of our God:

God makes her secure

    forever.

9        Within your temple, O God,

    we meditate on your unfailing love.

10      Like your name, O God,

              your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;

              your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11      Mount Zion rejoices,

    the villages of Judah are glad

    because of your judgments.

12      Walk about Zion, go around her,

    count her towers,

13      consider well her ramparts,

    view her citadels,

that you may tell of them

    to the next generation.

14      For this God is our God for ever and ever;

    he will be our guide even to the end. (Psalm 48, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

“Zion” is a biblical metonym for the city of Jerusalem, the home of the Jewish temple. For Christians, “Zion” eventually came to represent the “heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:18-24), the “Jerusalem that is above” (Galatians 4:26). I, personally, cannot hear the word “Zion” without thinking about the old hymn “We're Marching to Zion.” Isaac Watts beautifully depicted the truth that we are currently on pilgrimage to Zion, our home on high.

Then let our songs abound,

and every tear be dry; .

we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,

we're marching through Emmanuel's ground,

to fairer worlds on high,

to fairer worlds on high.

We're marching to Zion,

beautiful, beautiful Zion;

we're marching upward to Zion,

the beautiful city of God.

Just as many Jews made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Hezekiah’s great victory over Sennacherib (2 Kings 18–19), so Christians today—as citizens of the heavenly Zion—are making a pilgrimage of faith to the “time and place” where we'll experience unimaginable intimacy with the living God (Revelation 21:1-22:5).

As pilgrims, we talk about Zion (verses 1–3). We talk about the God who has made Zion great and we encourage one another with stories of his grace, provision, and protection. We dream and talk about Zion’s beauty and magnificence. We revel in the promise of abundance and eternal security. Spiritually speaking, Zion is the joy of the whole earth (Genesis 12:1–3). Through faith in Jesus, people from every nation, every tongue, and every tribe have become citizens of the heavenly Zion. We will one day join together to celebrate our common inheritance and to fellowship with the Lamb. And so, as we look forward to that day, we testify to one another and encourage one another on the journey of faith.

As pilgrims, we see Zion (verses 4–8). Despite being surrounded by innumerable enemies, we look to Jerusalem with eyes of faith and are encouraged in our faith. We take our eyes off of our problems and pain and, instead, focus on our God and our promised inheritance. Hezekiah had no way to fight the Assyrians, but he had the Lord. He spread a blasphemous letter from the Assyrians before the Lord and turned everything over to him. And God acted. The Assyrian army was outside, waiting to plunder the city, but they were gone as suddenly as a woman who is taken by childbirth (verses 5–6). When we are walking in the will of God, we have the promise of his protection.

As pilgrims, we enter Zion (verses 9–11). When Jewish pilgrims reached Jerusalem, they went immediately to the temple to meditate on God's unfailing love. They offered their sacrifices and lifted up their praise to God. In a similar manner, we can “enter” Zion by faith. When we fill our minds and hearts with thoughts of God's character and unfailing love (verse 9), we “enter” the temple—we step into the “holy of holies” and experience fellowship and intimacy with the living God. When we testify to God's righteousness and declare his praise in the midst of our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, we enable his praise to reach the ends of the earth (verse 10). The people of Jerusalem rejoiced in God's victory over Sennacherib, but we have a greater victory to share with the earth: our Lord Jesus died for us and has risen again. In his resurrected power, he has ascended to the throne of glory and he now rules and reigns with righteousness and justice. And, all who look to him in faith will experience a similar victory over sin and death.

As pilgrims, we walk about Zion (verses 12–14). This is a triumphant procession of praise in which we celebrate our secure place in God's dwelling. When Nehemiah rededicated the wall, two choirs walked around the wall and met (Nehemiah 12:27-47). They did this to celebrate and appreciate the great work God had enabled them to accomplish. In a similar manner, we ought to “walk about” with a spirit of thanksgiving. We ought to appreciate all that God has done for us, all that God has provided for us. We have been blessed with safety and security in God's midst. He has lavishly poured out abundant blessings upon us. Let us give thanks for all that God has done, and let us tell this gospel story to the next generation. Unfortunately, the people of Israel did not stay faithful and God brought judgment. So, today, let us be careful that we don’t take our blessings for granted. Let us give thanks and declare a song of praise to our God, our faithful guide on the pilgrimage of faith.

POINT TO PONDER:

You are making a pilgrimage to the heavenly Zion. Be encouraged, for you have God’s protection. That you are on a pilgrimage should be evident in your daily living. Praise him for what he has done for you.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I sometimes miss the old hymns I grew up singing. As much as I love modern worship songs, my heart holds a special place for the old hymns.

Our Song of Praise

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        Clap your hands, all you nations;

    shout to God with cries of joy.

2        For the LORD Most High is awesome,

    the great King over all the earth.

3        He subdued nations under us,

    peoples under our feet.

4        He chose our inheritance for us,

              the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.

5        God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

    the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6        Sing praises to God, sing praises;

    sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7        For God is the King of all the earth;

    sing to him a psalm of praise.

8        God reigns over the nations;

    God is seated on his holy throne.

9        The nobles of the nations assemble

    as the people of the God of Abraham,

for the kings of the earth belong to God;

    he is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

As we mentioned yesterday, this is one of three psalms that highlight Hezekiah’s great victory over Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-19:37). The message of this psalm is just as true today as it was on the day God delivered his people from the Assyrians.

“For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise” (verse 7). If anything should turn our hearts to joy and praise, it is the truth that God is the King of all the earth. “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne” (verse 8). Circumstances in the wider world or in our personal lives may not always seem to reflect this truth. What we read in the newspapers or see on the news may cause us to question if God is truly reigning, if he is truly King. But according to this psalm—and the Scriptures as a whole—our God is indeed “the great King over all the earth” (verse 2). The Lord Jesus is enthroned in heaven today—everything in heaven and on earth has been placed under his sovereign control (Ephesians 1:8-12, 19-22; Colossians1:15-20; Psalm 89:19-29).

Someone may say, “Well, if Jesus is ruling over the whole world, surely he can’t take much time for me.” That isn’t true. Our God sees and knows our deepest needs, longings, and desires. He knows our name (Isaiah 43:1-7; 49:16; Jeremiah 1:5; John 10:3, 14, 27). He has numbered the hairs on our head (Luke 12:7). The King of all the universe is concerned about you. He's concerned about me. No matter what we may think or feel, God loves us. We matter to him.

Because God is King, we should sing. This psalm starts, “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth” (verses 1–2). God is sovereign, gracious, and loving and therefore deserves our deepest adoration. The psalmist implores in verse 6: “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!” The best way to prove you believe that God is King is to sing praises.

When we lose sight of reality and begin to focus upon the things of this world, we tend to be driven about by our emotions. And when this happens we begin to be dominated by fear and doubt and question God's power and authority. When we moan and groan, when we whine and question, we are saying—through our actions—that God doesn’t know what he is doing, that he is not in control. But if we can—somehow, someway—sing praises to the Lord, we acknowledge that he is King over all the earth. If we can worship and praise him in the midst of our personal heartache and pain, we testify that we believe he is indeed the Lord Almighty, the Sovereign Ruler of all things.

POINT TO PONDER:

The world refuses to acknowledge God as King and rebels against his authority. (As we discussed yesterday, Sennacherib and the Assyrians are a great example of the world's attitude.) But God’s people know he reigns over all the earth. We rest in the truth that our God is the glorious King of the heavens and the earth. Because we know this to be true, and because we know that he is a gracious and loving King, we can sing his praises. And, we can praise him not only as the great and mighty King of all things, but also as our personal Lord and Master. We praise him because of who he is. And we praise him for what he has done in our life.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I find such encouragement from taking the stories of Scripture and applying them to my personal life. This is the way God's word ministers most deeply to my life. The Bible was never meant to be a simple history book, telling about historical events in a detached manner. The Bible is history—God's story of working to redeem the world. So, when I read the historical books I like to bring their message into my personal life. What would it have been like to have been one of the citizens of Jerusalem, who looked out and saw the vast the Syrian army surrounding their capital? What would it have been like to have heard the threats of Sennacherib's generals? What kind of questions or worries or fears would be going through my mind as heard the news of Assyrian conquests? And, how might similar questions or worries or fears arise in my life today? How am I surrounded by enemies today? How might Hezekiah's faithful actions encourage and inspire my life today? What is this story and its celebratory songs have to teach my life today?

Hidden Resources

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1        God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

2        Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3        though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging.

4        There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5        God is within her, she will not fall;

    God will help her at break of day.

6        Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7        The LORD Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8        Come and see what the LORD has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9        He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields with fire.
10      He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11      The LORD Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Agnostic writer H. G. Wells said, “God is an ever absentee help in times of trouble.” This statement grew out of his unbelief. But, for those of us who have experienced the gracious touch of God and entered into the life of faith, we recognize that Wells was wrong. For us, the living God is always present. And, by his presence, he brings deliverance and strength and hope to every time of trouble.

Psalms 46–48 (which we'll read over the next three days) grew out of a marvelous miracle in Israel’s history. The story is told in 2 Kings 18:13-19:37. Hezekiah was king of Judah when the Assyrians invaded the land. Sennacherib, the king of Syria, threatened to destroy Jerusalem, along with all the other Judean cities. He sent his officers to intimidate the people, and later sent a message ridiculing Yahweh's ability to protect his people. Hearing this threat, Hezekiah “went up to the temple of the LORD and spread [the message] out before the LORD.” Hezekiah then cried out in prayer:

“LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.  Give ear, LORD, and hear; open your eyes, LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. It is true, LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands.  They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”

Hezekiah took this crisis to the Lord. He cried out in faith, and the Lord heard his prayer. Not only this, but the living God moved in a miraculous manner to protect his beloved people.

“That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.”

This story, along with Psalms 46-48, is a reminder that we, too, can stand strong because of the divine resources God gives us.

God is our Refuge; we need not fear (verses 1–3). “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” He is available, accessible, and all-sufficient—an abundantly available help in trouble. God’s people go through trouble. Sometimes it’s because we’ve been disobedient; sometimes it’s because we’ve been obedient; and sometimes God knows we need to be strengthened and helped. Have you fled to your Refuge? When it seems like the mountains are crumbling into the roaring sea, remember that he is available. He is open. His eye is upon you. His heart is for you. Look to him. Hide in him to gain the strength and grace you need to face the storms and trials of life.

God is our Strength; we need not faint (verses 4–7). Figuratively speaking, we go from the turbulent sea in verse 2 to a quiet river in verse 4. Jerusalem was not established beside a river. To compensate, Hezekiah built an underground water system that brought water into the city (2 Kings 20:20). Similarly, we must live on hidden resources. We can’t depend on the world around us or other people. When you trust Jesus as Savior, God puts an artesian well of Living Water within you (John 4:13-14; 7:37-39). While the world has only broken cisterns, the Fountain of Living Water becomes a River. It is from Jesus that we get the spiritual resources we need. Are you drinking today at that River? Get your eyes off the sinking world and remember that God is your Strength. “The LORD Almighty is with us.”

God is an ever-present help; we need not fret (verses 8–11). When the Assyrians rose up and sought to destroy his beloved people, God “lifted his voice” and brought “desolations” upon their forces. The same voice that spoke all things into existence spoke destruction upon those who opposed his beloved people. It's the same today. The Church is surrounded by many enemies. Their aim is to lay God's people desolate—to destroy our lives and to nullify our faith. But our God shall not be overcome! Even the grave could not hold him! Just as he delivered his people from the hands of the Assyrians, so he will deliver us from all our enemies. The destruction God's enemies design to bring upon his church will one day be turned upon themselves. But we who look to the Lord in faith and trust will triumph! God says to his enemies and to his people alike: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Let his enemies be still and threaten no more. Let them stand silent in the knowledge that he is God—the one who rules and reigns over them. May we, as his people, be still and calm and sedate. May we be at peace and know, to our comfort, that he is God. He alone will be “exalted among the nations.” Because of the very real dangers we face, we can so easily drift into a place of fear and doubt and dismay. We can very easily forget who our God is. We can fret and worry about his timing and methods. But this fretting and worrying leaves us vulnerable to the enemy's attacks. So let us hear the word of the Lord: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Be still. Stand still. Sit still. He is the Lord Almighty. And he is with us.

POINT TO PONDER:

Our life depends on the hidden resources God gives us. So, today, let us be sure to take our strength and nourishment from God’s spiritual resources. He is our Refuge. He is our Strength. He is an ever-present help.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I am so thankful for who our God is! No matter what the opposition we face, our God is still God. He shall not be shaken. He shall not be overcome. Because of who he is, and who I am in him, I will be at peace today.